Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-04-09
AyExGrSG HER Hoxon.
How Mrs. Hegener washed Her ne
smirebcd Name I'm Her Ira
ducer,s Ryood.

A st. Paul Mimi special says
Young John Murphy lies dead at the
morgue, and pretty Mrs. X. FL. Hegener
is weeping behind prison-bars at the
Central station.
Murphy sought to break up the home
of the Hegeuers by writing to the hus-
band and saying that his wife was I'M
faithful to him. The little woman
bought q revolver, travelled ten miles
from Minneapolis TO st. Paul, found
her traducer, begged him to say the
word which would restore to her the
confidence OF her husband, and, when
he refused, shot him down like Il dog:
Everybody in the twin cities is talk
ing about the tragedy, and there is but
one opinion-namely, that Mrs. Hege-
ner simply did herself justice in slay..
ing the man who threw the shadow OF
suspicion across the hearthstone OF her
home.
INDICATING HER OWN HONOR.
The coroner's inquest was held on the
body of Murphy to-day, and all the
evidence pointed to one conclusion
that Murphy had become enamored OF
Mrs. Hegener, had asked her to elopa
with him, and upon her refusal had
sought to win her by most desplcable
ruse. His plan was to inform her hus-
band that her honor had been compro-
missed. get her driven from home, and
then, with her appalling outlook in the
cold world-shelterless, friendless, and
penniless-to win her to himself by
sheer force of circumstances.
MRS. HEGENEB's STORY.
This is what Mrs. Hegener says
Murphy followed me everywhere with
his repugnant attentions. All of this
time / did not dare to say word to my
husband, because / so dreaded his
Jealous disposition. He would, / be
iieve, have killed both Murphy and
myself had he supposed that there was
the slightest truth in the charges made.
| besought Murphy to leave the house
and to desist from his attentions, but
he refused, and boosted that it would
only be question of time when he
would win me. Once he almost choked
me to death in an attempt to kiss me.
NV first impulse was to seek my hus.
band and have the villain removed in
stantly and forcibly, but l reflected
and saw how cunningly he had laid his
plans how he had contrived to throw
a suspicious aspect over my every act
| could only groan and bide my time
"Oh, but he was playing a deep
black, treacherous game
"Several times he begged me to elOpt
with him, but each time L refused
Again and again he vowed that he would
be fully reyenged.
DRIVEN TO THE DEED OF BLOOD.
at was Wednesday that his foul
black, lying, slanderous letter from st
Paul besmirching my character came t.
the hands of my husband. He rea(
the letter calmly (for HIM and ther
showed it to me. Said he:
"'Mary, you see this letter contain
ing these charges against your charac
ter? There is but one way in which
YOU can prove your innocence. Eithel
You must kill that man or | will Cd
| you into pieces !
! "That was the situation l was in.
could only convince my husband Of my
innocence by securing from that blacl
wretch either q retraction OF his bas
charges or by killing him. My husban'
provided me with 32-calibre revolver
and l came over to st. Paul, wher
Murphy had been for several days.
Il met him and begged him to re
tract the cruel and false charges whici
he had made against me, but ne refused
[ then drew my revolver and shot him
81 shot him. L am guilty of Tia
shooting, and did it because the villaiI
tried to blackmail me, but as God an
Heaven are my witnesses | am innocen
of the charges which he made"